The deadline for the 2019 NBA Draft class to sign rookie scale extensions has now come and gone. Of those who did not agree on an extension, their names will enter the pool as a restricted free agent next summer. There are a few names that may make sense for the Detroit Pistons to pursue.
Before going into anyone specific, it’s best to point out that the Pistons (or any team) may not be able to get most or any of these guys away from their current team, depending on how motivated those teams are to keep their existing player on the roster for the 2023-24 season and potentially on a longer term.
For a restricted free agent, they are able to sign an offer sheet with any team, however their existing team has the right to retain the player by matching the terms of the signed offer sheet. We saw this in action this past summer when the Suns matched the offer sheet that Deandre Ayton signed with the Pacers.
The Detroit Pistons were rumored to be an offer sheet team for Deandre Ayton, but elected to use their cap space to absorb salary and garner additional assets, so they may decide to take a similar approach with their available room next offseason. However, some members of the upcoming RFA class may be just what Troy Weaver is looking for as he works to bring in more talent that could be a part of what he sees for the roster’s final product.
Detroit Pistons restricted free agent targets: Cam Johnson
Johnson and the Suns failed to reach an agreement on an extension before Monday’s deadline, leaving the stretch forward’s future with the team uncertain. An interesting aspect of the Suns not reaching a deal with Johnson is the team’s Jae Crowder situation. If Crowder remains away from the team for a long period of time while they work toward a resolution, Johnson may very well enter the starting lineup in Crowder’s place. If this season wasn’t already important for Johnson, the increased role this year could make or break how the offseason contract talks go for him.
For the Pistons, Johnson would be a huge help to the 3-point shooting issue as a career 39 percent shooter from three, including a staggering 42.5 percent last season. Johnson is also a high volume 3-point shooter, taking five and a half attemps per game on his career, allowing him to add some spacing alongside those he could share the floor with in Detroit.
How the Suns season goes this year will impact their decision on Johnson moving forward. If he plays his way into a starter moving forward I believe the two sides will work towards a deal quickly, taking Johnson off the table for extending an offer sheet. However, if the team finds themselves in a situation where they need to re-tool their roster, parting ways could be the best outcome for both sides. Especially after the Suns have already extended Mikal Bridges and matched Ayton’s offer sheet.
If the latter does happen, Johnson would be toward the top of my list as potential offer sheet players next offseason.
Detroit Pistons restricted free agent targets: PJ Washington
I was a little surprised that Washington and the Hornets did not reach a deal on an extension this offseason, but this is most likely due to the downward trend of the overarching organization. You can draw a lot of similarities between Washington with Johnson, strong forwards who can rim run and shoot the three, which would be a huge addition talent wise, depth wise, and age wise to the Detroit Pistons roster.
Washington is a slightly lower volume and less accurate 3-point shooter compared to Johnson, however when Washington is hot he really keeps it going, notably knocking down seven threes in a single game during his rookie season. Ironically, he’s been a bit of a Pistons-killer during his short time in the league, shooting over 45 percent from three and 57 percent from the field against Detroit on his career.
It seems that Washington is likely a part of Charlotte’s future, unless they decide to strip everything down to the studs after this season. If he finds himself sitting as a RFA as the free agency period begins, the Pistons would be a good suitor to throw an offer sheet due to their timeline, cap room, and path forward that is much clearer than Charlotte in my opinion.
Detroit Pistons restricted free agent targets: Cam Reddish
It seems that Reddish has been linked to Detroit ever since he joined the league, he’s one of those guys that I just have a weird feeling will be a Piston at some point during his career and next summer could be a prime opportunity.
Reddish has had a fairly minor role since being traded to the Knicks, hinting he may be a candidate to get dealt this season or end up somewhere other than New York once he becomes a RFA. He hasn’t showed as much scoring prowess or shooting ability as the others mentioned, however there still may be much left to say for Reddish as he has yet to find himself in a sustainable situation in the league.
Keeping this in mind, Reddish sounds like a no-brainer candidate for Troy Weaver. If New York isn’t interested in retaining Reddish for next season, they could explore dealing him at the deadline to a team like the Detroit Pistons interested in his RFA rights (similar to the Marvin Bagley III trade last season).
If Reddish remains in New York through the upcoming season, they may not be super motivated to match an offer sheet that he receives after paying Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson, and extending RJ Barrett all this offseason. This is something that the Pistons could take advantage of and get Reddish at a price less than it may take to pry away some others from their existing teams.
This “buy low”strategy is one Troy Weaver has used in the past with guys like Josh Jackson, MBIII and Kevin Knox.